Spray device



7, 1963 l. HOENIG 3,101,905

SPRAYDEVICE Filed May 14, 1962 ZNVENTUR 1G0 HoEmG.

. ATTORNEY United States Patent Ollice 3,101,905 SPRAY DEVICE IgoHoenig, Maximilianstr. 6, Schwabach, Germany Filed May 14, 1962, Ser.No. 194,539 Claims priority, application Germany June 6, 1%1 10 Claims.(Cl. 239-357) The invention relates broadly to spray devices, and moreparticularly to a piston operated spray device.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a construction ofspray device having the dimensions of a lip stick case, but working justas exact and efiicient as a larger type spray device such as used ontoilet tables.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of smalland compact spray device which can easily be carried in a womans purseand which can be repeatedly refilled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction ofcompact spray device which is simple and economical to manufacture andwhich is applicable to mass production techniques.

Other and further objects of the invention reside in the arrangement andconstruction of the relatively few components making up the spray deviceof the invention, as set forth more fully in the specificationhereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. -1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a spray device according tothe invention in the open position, with parts thereof foreshortened;and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 22 ofFIG. 1, with one part omitted for purposes of simplicity.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, the spray device according tothe invention includes a pumping cylinder '6 having an end piece 5,closing one end thereof, provided with external screw threads 4. The endpiece 5 is screwed into a cooperating ring member 1 provided with acorresponding internal thread 2, and integrally connected to one end ofa fluid chamber designated at 3. A gasket 7 positioned intermediateadjacent surfaces of parts 1 and 5 seals the screw threaded coupling toprevent leakage or evaporation of the fluid supply within the chamber 3.

A piston member 8 is mounted for reciprocatory movement in the oppositeend of cylinder 6 in such a manner that it can be moved toward fluidchamber 3, against the pressure of a return spring 9, by pressureapplied to the top of closure member 11 and transferred thereto by lugportion 10 depending from .the interior top surface of the closuremember 11, and disposed intermediate the closure member and piston. Thelug portion 10 is spaced from the side walls of closure member 11forming an annular space into which the top wall portion of cylinder 6can be telescoped when the closure member is moved to itsclosedposition. A felt disc 23, or the like, is provided on the underside 22of lug portion 10 intermediate the lug portion and piston member 8 andis disposed to wipe the bore of the cylinder 6 as the piston isreciprocated.

A slot having two portions 13 at right angles to each otheris providedthrough the side wall of lug portion 10, and is disposed to engage aretaining peg 12 disposed transversely to the axial length of closuremember 11, and connected to the upper end of cylinder 6. The engagementofthe'retaining pin 12 by the slot is ar ranged to hold the closuremember 11 in the closed position after the closure member has been movedtoward the opposite end of the cylinder, by rotating the closure member11 and lug portion 10 to locate the 3,lill,9ll5 Patented Aug. 27, 1963retaining peg 12 in the shorter portion of groove 13 which is disposedtransverse to the length of the lug portion.

A resilient cap 16, having an annular spacer flange or ledge 17, isdisposed in the bottom of pumping cylinder 6, and is provided with adepending annular portion 15 which abuts the end wall 14 of cylinder 6.The side walls of annular portion 15 are equidistantly spaced from theinner walls of cylinder 6, since the perimeter of annular portion llS issomewhat less than that of spacer flange 17 disposed in contact with theinner walls. Spacer flange 17 is provided with a notch 18 on theperimeter thereof and annular portion 15 is provided with a slot 19located below the flange notch. Annular portion 15 is also provided witha tiny aperture 20 disposed approximately from slot 19 and disposed inregistration with a spray jet opening 21 in the adjacent wall ofcylinder 6.

The fluid chamber 3, which has been shown foreshortened in the drawingfor purposes of illustration, is connected with the pumping cylinder 6by a central longitudinal bore 24, in end piece 5, in which the stem ofa valve element 25 is so placed that its enlarged valve head portion 26normally rests on a conical seat 27 at the upperend of the bore 24. Theopposite terminating end 28 of the valve stem protrudes for a shortdistance into the fluid chamber 3.

Depending from the middle of the resilient cap 16 is a relatively widecentral lug portion 29* whose free end is arranged to abut the valvehead portion 26 of valve element 25 when the closure member 1-1 is inthe closed position, and arranged to be spaced therefrom in the openposition as shown in FIG. 1. In the closed position the open end 30 ofclosure member 11 telescopes over cylinder 6 and rests on theterminating edge of the open end of fluid chamber 3. Two shortarcuately-shaped felt strips 32 are mounted on the underside of theresilient cap '16 between flanges 33 formed on the perimeter of centrallug portion 29, and intermediate the lug portion and annular portion 15,in such a way that neither the slot 19 nor the tiny aperture 20 arecovered by them.

The positioning of discharge aperture 20, which must be aligned withspray jet opening 21, is achieved by forming the discharge aperture 20after assembly of the spray device, by pushing a needle or the likethrough spray jet opening 21, such that annular portion 15 is puncturedto thus form the tiny discharge aperture 20. An annular groove 34 isformed in the side wall of cylinder 6, to retain the resilient cap 16securely in the illustrated position at the bottom of the pumping or aircylinder 6. The beforementioned return spring is positioned intermediatethe cap 16, and the piston 8, such that a proportion'of the pressureapplied to the piston 8 is transferred to the top surface of theresilient cap 16 through the return spring.

Operation In the illustrated position of the parts, the valve headportion 26 of the valve element does not completely shut off the fluidchamber 3 from cylinder 6 since there is not a tight seal between thehead and slot 27. Fluid can, therefore, pass up into the resilient cap16 through the annular space between the valve stem of valve element 25and the bore 24 to be absorbed by the felt strips 32. The same appliesto fluid which might pass between the inner wall of cylinder 6 and theouter wall of annular portion 15 of cap 16, since the fluid can flowfreely through the slot 19 inwardly to be absorbed by the felt strips32. When the closure member 11 is moved downwardly towards fluidcontainer 3 the piston member 8 and return spring 9 are respectivelymoved downwardly and compressed by the lug portion 10 and felt disc 23and the increase pressure due to the compression of spring 9 istransmitted to the flange 17 of resilient cap 16 since the terminatingend of spring 9 is seated thereon. The annular portion 15 of resilientcap 16 is disposed to give or flex under the compression pressure, andthe central lug portion 29 of cap 16 moves into abutment with the topsurface of valve head portion 26. The air compressed in cylinder 6 bypiston 8, when closure member 11 is moved downwardly, will pass throughthe notch 18 in the spacer flange 17 of cap 16, around the outside ofannular portion 15, and through slot 19 around the perimeter of lug 29and out of the aperture 20, and will respectively flow out through thespray jet opening 21. At the same time excess fluid absorbed in the twofelt strips 32 is caused by increased air pressure interior of theannular portion 15 to pass through the fine slot 19 into the air streamaround the outside of annular portion 15 and fluid from the strips willenter the air stream around lug 29 and will pass through the tinyaperture 20 into the annular space between the cylinder wall 6 and theannular portion 15 of cap 16, and thence will pass through the jetopening 21 in the form of a spray by the beforementioned air flow.

If the closure member 11, when the two parts 11 and 3 and their edges 30and 31, are moved together into abutment, is slightly turned theretaining peg 12 moves into engagement with the horizontal arm portionof slot 13, to cause the valve element 25 to be retained and sealed inits closed position. In this position no fluid can get up under cap 16from the fluid chamber and no fluid can escape through the jet opening21. The end 28 of the valve stem which protrudes into the fluid chambermakes it possible to check the functioning of the valve for properoperation when the chamber 3 is removed for refilling with fluid. Tocheck the valve element 25 for proper operation the free end 28 thereofis pressed slightly inward toward the resilient cap. This allows anysmall pieces of dirt which may become lodged between the valve stem andbore 24 to be removed.

The felt disc 23 intermediate the lug portion and piston member 8 servesto absorb any small amounts of fluid which may tend to pass from theinside of cylinder 6 by leakage through notch 18, thereby preventingleakage of fluid [from the spray device. This small amount of liquidwill usually evaporate from the disc 23 before the spray is next used.

To release the spray device from the closed position, the closure member11 is rotated contra to the direction for locking the same in the closedposition, to remove retaining peg 12 from engagement with the horizontalportion of slot 13 and move the same into engagement with the verticalportion thereof. Closure member 11 will then be moved to the openposition, as illustrated, under the pressure of return spring 9 and theflexed annular portion of resilient cap 16 will return to its normalposition as illustrated, lifting the free end of central lug portion 29from engagement with valve head portion 26, thus allowing fluid fromchamber 3 to pass through the annular space between the valve stem andbore 24, between the valve head 26 and seat 27, and out into theinterior of annular portion 15 to be absorbed by felt strips 32, whenthe spray device is tipped. It is also believed that a certain amount offluid is drawn from the chamber 3 by the lifting power of the pressuredifferential between the air cylinder 6 and fluid chamber 3 as theclosure member 11 is moved to the open position and the air in cylinder6 is expanded. In use this small spray device is rarely held perfectlyupright so the felt strips 32 may become somewhat saturated with fluidfrom a combination of the tipping action and suction action caused bythe pressure differential. As the air expanded in cylinder 6 an aircurrent is drawn in through jet opening 21, etc., in a reverse manner tothat described for expelling an atomized spray of fluid from the device.

It should further be pointed out that the small fluid chamber 3illustrated herein can be substituted by a larger glass container or thelike. However, with a larger container it is advisable to add to endpiece 5 of the cylinder a tubular member to which is attached the normalsuction tube which reaches to the bottom of the container.

While I have described my invention in one of the preferred embodiments,I realize that modifications may be made, and I desire that it beunderstood that no limitations upon my invention are intended other thanmay be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A spray device comprising air cylinder means, chamber means adaptedto carry fluid connected to one end of said air cylinder means and incommunication therewith through a communicating fluid passage, movablevalve means connected in said air cylinder means to selectively closethe communicating fluid passage, a spray orifice provided in the wall ofsaid air cylinder means adjacent said one end, resilient means havingpassages therein connected in said one end of said air cylinder meansadjacent said spray orifice, valve means and communicating fluidpassage, piston means disposed for movement in the opposite end to saidair cylinder means, second resilient means connecting said piston meansand said resilient means, absorbent means connected in the passages ofsaid resilient means and adapted to absorb fluid from said chambermeans, and said resilient means having a portion adapted to bedownwardly urged by said piston and second resilient means to move saidmovable valve means to close said communicating fluid passage as saidpiston means is moved downwardly in said air cylinder means to providean atomized spray of fluid from said spray orifice by causing air flowthrough the passages of said resilient means and release of fluid fromsaid absorbent means.

2. A spray device as set forth in claim 1 in which said movable valvemeans includes a tapered head portion, and a stern portion passingthrough the communicating fluid passage and arranged to protrude intosaid chamber means.

3. A spray device as set forth in claim 1 and said resilient meanshaving a depending annular portion concentrically spaced to said portionadapted to engage said valve means.

4. A spray device as set forth in claim 3 in which said annular portionis adapted to be resiliently flexed when said piston means is moveddownwardly in said air cylinder means.

5. A spray device as set forth in claim 1 in which said resilient meansincludes a depending annular portion and an annular spacer flange incontact with said cylinder wall maintaining said annular portion inspaced relation thereto.

6. A spray device as set forth in claim 5 in which said annular spacerflange is provided with pressure communicating means.

7. A spray device as set forth in claim 5 in which said dependingannular portion is provided with an aperture in registration with saidspray orifice.

8. A spray device as set forth in claim 1 in which said piston meansincludes a cover member disposed to telescope over said air cylindermeans and enclose the same as said piston means is moved downwardly, andlocking means for maintaining said piston means in the downwardposition.

9. A spray device as set forth in claim 1 in which said absorbent meanscomprise arcuate shaped absorbent strips disposed about the portion ofsaid resilient means adapted to engage said movable valve means.

10. A spray device comprising air cylinder means, chamber means adaptedto carry fluid connected to one end of said air cylinder means and incommunication therewith through a central bore, freely movable returnvalve means connected in said air cylinder means, to selectively closethe central bore, a spray orifice provided in the side wall of said aircylinder means adjacent said one end, resilient means having passagestherein connected in said one end of said air cylinder means adjacentsaid spray orifice and central bore, piston means disposed for movementin the opposite end of said air cylinder means, spring means connectingsaid piston means and said resilient means, absorbent means connected inthe passages of said resilient means and adapted to absorb fluid fromsaid chamber means, and said resilient means having a portion adapted toengage said movable return valve means and close said central bore withsaid valve as said piston means is moved downwardly in said air cylindermeans to provide an atomized spray of fluid from said spray orifice bycausing air flow through the passages of said resilient means andrelease of fluid from said aborb ent means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A SPRAY DEVICE COMPRISING AIR CYLINDER MEANS, CHAMBER MEANS ADAPTEDTO CARRY FLUID CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SAID AIR CYLINDER MEANS AND INCOMMUNICATION THEREOFWITH THROUGH A COMMUNICATING FLUID PASSAGE, MOVABLEVALVE MEANS CONNECTED IN SAID AIR CYLINDER MEANS TO SELECTIVELY CLOSETHE COMMUNICATING FLUID PASSAGE, A SPRAY ORIFICE PROVIDED IN THE WALL OFSAID AIR CYLINDER MEANS ADJACENT SAID ONE END, RESILIENT MEANS HAVINGPASSAGES THEREIN CONNECTED IN SAID ONE END OF SAID AIR CYLINDER MEANSADJACENT SAID SPRAY ORIFICE, VALVE MEANS AND COMMUNICATING FLUIDPASSAGE, PISTON MEANS DISPOSED FOR MOVEMENT IN THE OPPOSITE END TO SAIDAIR CYLINDER MEANS, SECOND RESILIENT MEANS CONNECTING SAID PISTON MEANSAND SAID RESILIENT MEANS, ABSORBENT MEANS CONNECTED IN THE PAS-